Discover the Best Embroidery Classes in NYC
Embroidery is a type of fiber art that involves using needles and thread to create detailed designs on various fabrics such as cotton, wool, linen, or even denim. While it can be done on a machine, basic hand embroidery often consists of using a hoop to hold the fabric taut while you apply various stitching techniques to create designs. Beginner embroiderers may follow a pre-made pattern, while more advanced crafters may create their own patterns to create beautiful designs. Basic materials needed for embroidery include embroidery floss, needles, hoops, scissors, fabric, and patterns that you can draw onto your fabric and show you the stitches required to create the design.
Why You Should Learn Embroidery in NYC
Learning a fun hobby such as embroidery is a great way to relieve stress and feel a sense of accomplishment. Many find embroidery to be meditative due to the detailed nature of the craft and the ability to create beautiful artwork using just needle and thread. Instead of endlessly swiping through social media, try embroidery in your free time as a more relaxing activity that is likely better for your mental health. Learning embroidery will give you a skill that allows you to create projects you can display in your home or give to others for birthday gifts, baby or wedding showers, Christmas, housewarming, etc. Many embroiderers have even found ways to profit from their projects by selling their patterns and/or embroidery projects on websites like Etsy and Facebook Marketplace.
In addition to being a great stress reliever, embroidery can give you a sense of community by connecting you to a large community of fiber artists. You may be able to find local embroidery groups through your local library or online on platforms such as Facebook Groups. Some embroidery clubs found online will also provide you access to their pattern library for a membership fee. The Embroiderers' Guild of America (EGA) is a national organization with local chapters that meet regularly in-person for embroidery exhibits, classes, and programs. Their membership also includes access to a large library of projects.
In-Person Embroidery Classes & Schools in NYC
New York City has a wide variety of embroidery classes offered in-person at various craft stores, workshops, and art centers. The Beginner Embroidery Workshop, held at the Brooklyn Craft Company, offers those new to embroidery the opportunity to master the basics while creating a peace-sign hoop. This class teaches individuals ages 18 and older how to transfer images onto fabric, what types of fabrics and supplies are needed in embroidery, how to do basic stitches, and how to frame your piece in a hoop. All materials are provided and included in the cost of the class. Brooklyn Craft Company is a supply and workshop space in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, offering classes and events for various types of modern craft and DIY trends such as all types of needlework, glass etching, macrame, perfume-making, jewelry-making, drawing, painting, and photography.
Other classes offered by Brooklyn Craft Company include Floral Embroidery and Beginner Cross Stitch. In Floral Embroidery, open to ages 18 and older, individuals will learn how to add texture and depth to their embroidery while making a floral sampler. The workshop covers how to transfer a printed image to fabric and use several different stitches to create texture. While open to all skill levels, knowledge of embroidery basics is useful. In Beginner Cross Stitch, however, no previous knowledge is needed as you learn how to cross-stitch a cute succulent pattern. This class, also for ages 18 and older, covers how to read cross-stitch pattern charts, what type of supplies are needed, how to do the cross-stitch, and how to frame your project in an embroidery hoop. All materials are provided for these classes.
Another in-person class in NYC is the Embroidery Workshop at The New York Sewing Center located in Midtown Manhattan. This class, open to individuals of all skill levels age 10 and older, is a fun way for users to learn how to embellish their own clothing with embroidery. Students are asked to bring an article of clothing, a denim jacket, for example, that they would like to add their personal touch to with a word or phrase and they will supply the rest of the materials. The New York Sewing Center, located in the center of the garment district in NYC, offers sewing, design, and private classes for various ages and skill levels.
If you are looking for a kid-friendly fiber arts class, The New York Sewing Center offers two Kids' Summer Fashion Camps, one for 7 to 10-year-olds and the other geared toward 11 to14-year-olds. Both beginner-friendly camps are five days long, four hours per day. Kids will learn fashion design skills such as sketching, how to thread and use a sewing machine, how to sew clothing and accessories, hand and machine stitching, and embroidery. The younger cohort's projects include a pillow, scrunchies, and an elastic waist skirt, while the older kids will work on projects such as a tote bag and a summer top. There is also a Kids' Advanced Sewing and Fashion Camp offered through The New York Sewing Center for kids who have already taken a summer camp or after-school program. This camp is intended for ages 9 to 11 to advance their fashion skills as they design, sketch, and sew trendy clothing and accessories for summer.
Embroidery Basics: Making a Sampler, offered by 92nd Street Y, is a beginner embroidery class for ages 18 and older. In this class, individuals will learn eight different essential stitches for embroidery, as well as techniques such as knots and edging. You will walk away with a completed sampler and the tools and knowledge to complete more basic embroidery projects. All materials are included. 92nd Street Y is a cultural and community center in Manhattan that offers a diverse range of programs, events, concerts, and over 4,000 classes taught by experts. A proudly Jewish organization established over 140 years ago, 92nd Street Y welcomes people of all backgrounds and embraces learning and self-improvement as well as contribution to the community.
92nd Street Y additionally offers the class Embroidery in 90 minutes: Floral Monogram to all skill levels ages 18 and older. In this class, individuals will learn two basic embroidery stitches as well as two advanced, decorative stitches to complete a project with impressive detail and texture. All materials are included such as a 3-inch embroidery hoop, embroidery floss, needles, a tracing pen, and colored felt of your choice.
Virtual Embroidery Classes & Schools
While in-person embroidery classes are often taken at a workshop, craft store, or art/community center, virtual classes are conducted live online on your computer and therefore can be taken from anywhere. Online embroidery classes offer the ability to learn embroidery from the comfort of your own home or any other place you happen to be in with an internet connection. Many individuals enjoy online courses for the flexibility they provide and the lack of commute. Additionally, more classes are now being offered online, providing you with more options to choose from instead of being limited to those in your city. The drawback to virtual classes is that you generally have to provide your own materials and tools or equipment.
Offered through the Evanston Art Center, The Art of Contemporary Embroidery virtual class for ages 16 and older teaches beginners new ways to produce art with needle and thread. Individuals will learn how to embroider with and without a hoop with techniques such as mending, darning, quilt-blocking, couching, and sashiko. This class is held via Zoom and the materials needed, including links to where to buy the supplies online, are located in the course description. The Evanston Art Center is a non-profit visual arts organization in Evanston, Illinois, just north of Chicago, offering numerous classes, lectures, exhibitions, and outreach activities for youth and adults.
For other types of sewing and textile classes, 92nd Street Y offers Crochet for Beginners, a virtual six-session workshop for beginners ages 18 and older to learn the art of crochet. Additionally, individuals can take Sashiko Mending, another beginner-friendly class offered through 92nd Street Y and conducted online. In this virtual class, students learn how to mend clothes using Sashiko-style mending, a style created during the Edo period of Japan to extend the life of kimonos.
Private Group Embroidery Classes in NYC
Are you looking for a fun team-building activity for your business or organization? Taking an embroidery class as a group is a great way to establish camaraderie and do something unique and enjoyable at work. CourseHorse has live online embroidery classes for private groups in NYC.
The Virtual Modern Embroidery Art class through CourseHorse is a lighthearted and relaxing beginner-friendly class where individuals will learn basic hand embroidery skills. This two-hour class covers topics such as how to prep an embroidery hoop, how to select the perfect thread, and how to start and finish your project. Basic stitches will be taught as well as floral stitches that include woven wheel roses, french knots, stem stitches, and fishbone leaves. CourseHorse provides the materials ahead of time for each individual, including colorful threads, embroidery tools, and a floral wreath embroidery pattern.
Benefits of booking a class with CourseHorse include receiving a booking confirmation within 24 hours, not having to pay booking fees, and having an event provider contact you with details and to answer any questions you have about the class. Also, if you need to change the size of your group, you can do so after scheduling. While Zoom is the default platform for classes, CourseHorse can also accommodate other video conferencing platforms such as Google Meets, Microsoft Teams, and WebEx. You can even customize your class for a fee if you want to involve a specific theme or game in your learning.
CourseHorse offers other virtual fiber art classes for private groups in NYC such as the Virtual Macrame Workshop and Virtual Tapestry Loom Weaving. In the macramé workshop, individuals will learn the art of tying knots to produce beautiful textiles, a technique said to have derived from Arab weavers in the 13th century. During this class, students will create a beautiful hanging planter out of the cord that is supplied by CourseHorse. In the loom weaving class, individuals will create a beautiful tapestry to hang in their homes. This beginner-friendly class provides all the materials for students to learn how to make a DIY loom from a chipboard, how to weave stitches and add fringes to their design, and how to include various fiber weights and textures in their tapestry.
